dacomeup
Supporter
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Naw fam looking like Chris Bridges haha. LudacrisOriginally Posted by dreClark
Originally Posted by allen3xis
Who could forget a face like this?
Looking like Chris Davis from UCONN...
College Basketball "off-season" Thread (players leaving/coaching changes/recruiting)
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by wildkycat,
- Start date
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Naaaaaaaaaaah, that CAN'T be real. This dude a Colonel Sanders moustache on his forehead
tmukg21
Banned
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unibrow lol
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That dude carries the unibrow like it's an honor.
Always had it
Always had it
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[h2]Summer 2008 Men's Certified Basketball Leagues[/h2]
Updated: June 24, 2008
NCAA Division I student-athletes with remaining eligibility may participate in the following certified summer leagues only on the dates identified in the"Certified Dates" column. Leagues are listed in alphabetical order by the league name. All Division I players must limit their competition to oneteam in one league. If a student-athlete participates in a two-day activity those student-athletes cannot participate in any other organized basketballactivity for the duration of the summer.
Note: League certification DOES NOT permit NCAA Division I basketball coaching staff members to attend. Please consult the list of certified events toidentify those competitions that Division I coaches may attend.
|
NCAA Division I student-athletes with remaining eligibility may participate in the following certified summer leagues only on the dates identified in the"Certified Dates" column. Leagues are listed in alphabetical order by the league name. All Division I players must limit their competition to oneteam in one league. If a student-athlete participates in a two-day activity those student-athletes cannot participate in any other organized basketballactivity for the duration of the summer.
Note: League certification DOES NOT permit NCAA Division I basketball coaching staff members to attend. Please consult the list of certified events toidentify those competitions that Division I coaches may attend.
| Activity Name and Location | Certified Dates | Operator | Contact Information |
| 2008 Annapolis Recreation Department Men's Summer Basketball League at Callahan Courts in Annapolis, Maryland www.annapolis.gov/recreation | June 15 to August 13 (Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays) | Sherry Whiteford | 410 263 7958 [email protected] |
| 2008 Hank Gathers Memorial College League at Temple University's McGonigle Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania http://www.sonnyhillleague.org/ | June 16 to August 8 (Monday through Friday) | Brent Hill | 215 474 2801 [email protected] |
| 2008 Verizon FiOS Jersey Shore Basketball League at St. Rose High School in Belmar, New Jersey | June 16 to August 5 (Monday thru Thursday) | Ken O'Donnell | 732 223 0251 [email protected] |
| 36th Annual Dustbowl Basketball Tournament at David S. Palmer Arena in Danville, Illinois www.comaction.org | July 25-27 | Chantal Savage - Bryant | 217 554 9128 [email protected] |
| 4-Point Play Basketball Pro Summer League at Tigard High School in Tigard, Oregon http://www.4pointplay.net/ | June 22 and 29; July 6, 13, 20 and 27; and August 3, 10, 17, 23 and 24 | Ne'Juan Thompson | 971 226 9005 [email protected] |
| AJR-Summer Basketball League at Highlands Ranch High School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado | July 10-20 | Robert Caton | 720 270 8202 [email protected] |
| Bay Pro-Am Summer League (men's) at Hillsborough Community College (Dale Mabry Campus) in Tampa, Florida http://www.bayproamfla.com/ | June 15 to August 31 | Haywoode Workman | 813 917 7367 [email protected] |
| Bluesteak Summer Basketball League at John Carroll University Rec Plex in University Height, Ohio | June 25, 26 and 30; July 2, 7, 9, 15, 17, 22, 24, 28 and 30; and August 1 | Michael Zbiegien | 216 531 4319 [email protected] |
| Brewster Sports Center's Men's Summer Basketball League at Brewster Sports Center in Brewster, New York http://www.brewstersportscenter.com/ | June 17 to August 9 (Monday through Thursday) | Al Morales, Jr. | 845 406 0130 [email protected] |
| Broadway Armory Summer Basketball League at Broadway Armory in Chicago, Illinois | June 24 to August 15 (Monday through Friday) | John Hodel | 773 477 8272 [email protected] |
| Buckeye Corner's Arlington Summer Basketball League at Upper Arlington High School in Upper Arlington, Ohio | June 17 to July 21 (Tuesdays and Thursdays) and July 22, 23, 24, and 29 | Eddie Guice | 740 657 8474 [email protected] |
| Burgo Basketball Association, Inc. at Dartmouth's S.E. Regional Basketball Complex in Dartmouth, Massachusetts http://www.bbabasketball.com/ | June 21 to August 23 (Saturdays and Sundays) | Steven Burgo | 508 993 7945 [email protected] |
| Ceciliaville Summer College League at Ceciliaville Activity Center in Detroit, Michigan http://www.ceciliaville.com/ | July 5, 6, 8, 12, 13,15, 19, 20, 22, 26 and 27;and August 5, 9 and 10 | Michael Smith | 248 543 4452 [email protected] |
| Central Blair Recreation Park Commission Men's Summer Basketball League at Mansion Park Basketball Courts in Altoona, Pennsylvania http://www.cbrcparks.org/ | June 16 to August 22 (Monday through Thursday) | Stephen Sauers | 814 949 2231 [email protected] |
| Chicago Pro-Am National City Leagues at Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Illinois http://www.chicagoproam.org/ | July 12 to August 16 (Fridays, Saturdays Sundays) | William Jones | 312 203 7643 [email protected] |
| City Ministry at Great Lakes Baptist Temple in Flint, Michigan | June 18 to July 30 (Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays) | Deborah Stevens | 810 513 0745 [email protected] |
| City of Orlando Pro-Am/Bay Pro-Am at Dr. J.R. Smith Comunity Center in Orlando, Florida | June 29 to August 31(Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays) | Alfredo Ortiz | 407 246 4290 [email protected] |
| Cleveland Summer Am-Pro Basketball League at Cleveland State University Woodling Gym in cleveland, Ohio | June 27 and July 1, 2, 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, 28, 29, 30 and 31 | Vance Marbury | 614 774 2423 [email protected] |
| Columbus Adult Basketball Association Summer League at The Hoop Sports Center in Columbus, Ohio http://www.recsportsnetwork.com/ | June 19 to August 29 (Mondays and Wednesdays) | Bobby Walker | 614 774 3340 [email protected] |
| Connie Hawkins Men's Summer Basketball League at Club 4 Life in Monroeville, Pennsylvania | June 16 to August 15 (Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays) | William Neal | 412 607 3697 [email protected] |
| The Courts 9th Annual Men's College Pro-am League at The Courts in Springfield, Missouri | June 18 and 25 and July 2, 9, 13, 16, 20, 23 and 30 | Chris Coskey | 417 831 3333 [email protected] |
| Crestmont Community Basketball League at Crestmont Playground in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania | June 15 to August 10 (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays) | Barry Vaughn | 215 432 3177 [email protected] |
| Delaware County Pro-Am by Fidonce at Tri-State Sports Complex in Aston, Pennsylvania http://www.recminder.com/ | July 30 to August 13 (Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays) | Kevin Towns | 267 265 4859 [email protected] |
| Deveroes The League at Woodward High School in Cincinnati, Ohio http://www.cincysportsworld.com/ | June 15 to July 26 (Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays) | Dennis Bettis | 513 371 4069 [email protected] |
| DFW College Summer League at Seagoville High School in Seagoville, Texas http://www.eteamz.com/DFWSummerCollegeLeague/index.cfm? | June 29 to July 26 (Tuesdays and Thursdays) | Grady Dale | 972 822 0032 [email protected] |
| Donnie Wilson Memorial Denver Pro-Am Summer Basketball League at Hiawatha Davis Recreation Center in Denver, Colorado | June 16 to August 9 (Monday through Thursday and Saturdays) | John Bailey | 720 629 0964 [email protected] |
| Dyckman Basketball Tournament at Monsignor Kett Playground in New York, New York http://www.dyckmanpark.com/ | July 3 to August 22 (Monday through Friday) | Isaiah Brown | 917 681 1218 [email protected] |
| EKB H.S./J.C. Showcase at J.P. Stevens High School in Edison, New Jersey | July 12 | Edward Butler | 973 678 6474 [email protected] |
| Entertainers Basketball Classic at Holcombe Rucker Memorial Park in New York, New York http://www.ebcsports.com/ | June 16 to August 21 (Monday thru Thursday) | Gregory Marius | 212 862 2323 [email protected] |
| Game Time International Summer Pro Am League at Meridian High School in Meridian , Idaho http://www.gametimeintl.com/ | June 15 to August 1 (Tuesdays an Thursdays) | Derrick Boles | 208 739 2404 [email protected] |
| The Get Better College Basketball League at Salesian High School in Los Angeles, California | June 16, 18, 21-22 and 27-29; July 5-6, 11-13, 15, 17 and 26-27; and August 2-3 and 8-10 | Rico Cabrera II | 213 820 7846 [email protected] |
| GIAC Adult Summer Basketball League at Conway Park in Ithaca, New York | June 27 to August 15 (Monday through Wednesday) | Courtney McGuire | 607 272 3622 [email protected] |
| Great Lakes Pro-Am at Great Lakes Athletic Club in Orion, Michigan | June 17 to July 30 (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) | Jere Shockey | 248 391 6784 [email protected] |
| The Greater Hartford Pro Am Summer Basketball League at Lewis Fox Middle School in Hartford, Connecticut http://www.ghpaonline.com/ | July 9 to August 20 (Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays) | Kevin Kirksey | 860 883 8491 [email protected] |
| Hoop Dreemzzzz Summer League at Island Garden in West Hempstead, New York | July 5 to August 18 (Monday through Friday) | Karen Cluess | 516 476 6430 [email protected] |
| Hoops in the Sun Roundball Classic at Orchard Beach in Bronx, New York http://www.hoopsinthesun.net/ | June 15 to August 24 (Saturdays and Sundays) | Randy Cruz | 212 427 1236 [email protected] |
| Howard Pulley Pro City at Salvation Army Community Center in St Paul, Minnesota http://www.howardpulleybasketball.com/ | June 19 to July 31 (Monday through Thursday) | Turhen Pulley | 612 770 0309 [email protected] |
| Jewish Community Center NCAA Certified Men's Open Summer League at Jewish Community Center in Vestal, New York | June 26 To August 26 (Thursdays) | Tom Foley | 607 724 2417 [email protected] |
| KC Pro Am at Penn Valley Community College in Kansas City, Missouri | June 20 to August 8 (Monday through Friday) | Terry Nooner | 816 935 7641 [email protected] |
| Kennard Mens' Summer Basketball League at Kennard Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | June 29 to August 28 (Tuesdays Wednesdays and Thursdays) | Reggie Smith | 412 321 1302 [email protected] |
| Las Vegas Pro-Am Basketball League at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada http://www.lvproam.com/ | July 12 to August 30 (Saturdays) | John Shephard | 702 807 5554 [email protected] |
| Mayor's Night Hoop's (men's) at Hillcrest Community Center in Kansas City, Missouri | June 19 to August 3 (Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays) | Vickie Shelton | 816 582 4947 [email protected] |
| MBNation Summer League at Southern Maine Sports Center in Saco, Maine http://www.mbnation.org/ | July 12 to July 31 (Tuesdays and Thursdays) | Mike Woodbury | 207 649 1453 [email protected] |
| Metro Summer Basketball League at Omaha South High School in Omaha, Nebraska | June 19 to August 7 (Thursdays) | Jason Isaacson | 402 250 9522 [email protected] |
| Michigan Basketball Association Boy's High School Summer Basketball League at Flint Central Academy High School in Flint, Michigan | June 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 and 29; July 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26 and 27 | Earl Jordan | 810 238 8831 [email protected] |
| Michigan Basketball Association Men's Summer Basketball League at Bentley High School in Burton, Michigan | June 19 to August 10 (Thursday through Sunday) | Earl Jordan | 810 238 8831 [email protected] |
| Moneyball Pro Am Summer Basketball League at Everett High School in Lansing, Michigan http://www.moneyballsportswear.com/ | June 21 to August 10 (Saturdays and Sundays) | Desmond Ferguson | 517 393 0763 [email protected] |
| Natural Talent Pro-Am League at Arlington High School in Indianapolis, Indiana http://www.cjnaturaltalent.com/ | June 15, 21,22, 28 and 29; July 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27; and August 1-3 | Kevin Jones | 317 506 7197 [email protected] |
| Nike Houston Pro City Summer League at Fonde Community Center in Houston, Texas | July 7 to August 13 (Monday and Wednesday) | Kevin Granger | 832 524 3100 [email protected] |
| Nike Pro City College/Pro League at McDonough Arena in Washington, District of Columbia http://www.gameplansports.net/ | July 5 to August 10 (Saturday and Sunday) | Van Johnson | 301 322 9784 [email protected] |
| Nike Pro City - NY Summer Basketball League at Hunter College in New York, New York | June 15 to August 7 (Tuesdays and Thursdays) | Raymond Diaz | 718 969 6240 [email protected] |
| Pittsburgh Basketball Club College Summer League at Greentree Sportsplex in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania http://www.pittsburghbasketballclub.com/ | June 23, 25 and 30; and July 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 22 and 23 | John Giammarco | 412 403 9086 [email protected] |
| Phoenix Summer Pro League at Phoenix Country Day School in Scottsdale , Arizona http://www.phoenixspl.com/ | June 15 to July 27 (Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) | Corey Williams | 520 304 3373 [email protected] |
| Prime Time Basketball League at North Liberty Community Center in North Liberty, Iowa http://www.primetimeleague.com/ | June 16 to July 23 (Mondays and Wednesdays) | Randy Larson | 319 354 5500 [email protected] |
| Princeton Recreation Mens Summer Basketball League at Community Park outdoor courts in Princeton, New Jersey http://www.princetonrecreation.com/ | June 16 to August 8 (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) | Ben Stentz | 609 921 9480 [email protected] |
| Raleigh Parks Recreation's Chavis Summer Basketball League at St. Augustine's College's Emory Gymnasium in Raleigh, North Carolina | June 16 to August 15 (Monday thru Friday) | Christopher Moore | 919 831 6378 [email protected] |
| RDV Sportsplex powered by the National Basketball Academy Men's League at RDV Sportsplex in Orlando, Florida www.thebasketballacademy.com OR www.rdvsportsplex.com | June 24 to August 21 (Tuesdays and Thursdays) | Joneshia Bethea | 407 916 2522 [email protected] |
| Rip City Adult Summer Basketball League at Chester Ash Memorial Park in Coatesville , Pennsylvania | June 23 to August 23 (Monday through Thursday) | Christena Hamilton | 610 384 1645 [email protected] |
| Rivercity Summer Pro-Am Basketball League at Cardinal Ritter Prep High School in St. Louis, Missouri | June 27 to August 4 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) | Noren Kirksey | 314 645 8706 [email protected] |
| Rocky Top Basketball League at Bearden High School in Knoxville, Tennessee http://www.rockytopbasketballleague.com/ | June 16 to July 2 (Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays) | Andre Whitehead | 865 977 8177 [email protected] |
| The Rowan Barrett ProAm at Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada | July 12 to July 31 (Tuesdays and Thursdays) | Rowan Barrett | 416 717 4297 [email protected] |
| RPSA Men's Summer Basketball League at Christ the King High School in Middle Village, New York http://www.rpsabasketball.com/ | June 15 to August 31(Monday- Thursday) | Rob Schoemig | 917 951 4523 [email protected] |
| Rusty LaRue Basketball Academy Triad Pro-Am Summer League at Forsyth Country Day School in Lewisville, North Carolina http://www.rustylarue.com/ | July 7-10, 14-17, 21-24, 28-31; and August 1-2 | Rusty LaRue | 336 293 9174 [email protected] |
| San Francisco Bay Area Pro-Am Basketball League at Kezar Pavilion in San Francisco, California | June 16 to August 15 (Monday - Thursday) | Jon Greenberg | 415 695 5009 [email protected] |
| Say No Classic Los Angeles (College open summer basketball league) at Hangar Athletic Xchange in Hawthorne, California | June 21 to August 16 (Friday through Sunday) | David Smith | 323 734 2405 [email protected] |
| Seacoast Hoops Summer Basketball League at HUB Athletic Center in South Portland, Maine | June 15 to August 6 (Wednesdays) | Matthew Richards | 207 741 5927 [email protected] |
| SEBL Summer Pro Am Basketball League at JH Morgan Gym in Cartersville, Georgia | July 7, 9, 10, 13, 14, 16, 17, 20, 21, 23, 24, 27, 30 and 31; August 3, 4, 6, 7, 9 and 10 | David Archer | 770 606 1832 [email protected] |
| SJG Greater NC Pro AM at McLendon-McDougald Gymnasium in Durham, North Carolina | July 8 to August 21 (Tuesdays and Thursdays) and August 25-28 | John Jones | 919 427 6335 [email protected] |
| Smithfield Summer Basketball League at CCRI Warwick in Warwick, Rhode Island | July 3, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29 and 31; and August 5, 7, 12 and 14 | Steven Stanford | 401 241 0698 [email protected] |
| Sonny Parker Summer Basketball League at Homan Square Community Center in Chicago, Illinois http://www.thesonnyparkeryouthfoundation.org/ | June 16 to August 11 (Mondays and Saturdays) | Sonny Parker | 312 822 3439 [email protected] |
| South Florida Pro Am Mentorship at Miami Dade College North Campus in Miami, Florida http://www.arkcoalition.org/ | June 22 to August 7 (Saturdays and Sundays) | Darrell Brown | 786 417 8069 [email protected] |
| Sports and Fitness Edge Men's Summer Basketball League at Sports and Fitness Edge in Essex Jct, Vermont | June 17 to August 21 (Tuesdays and Thursdays) | Craig Revilla | 802 879 6904 [email protected] |
| Star Ledger College Summer League at College Ave. Gym/the BARN in New Brunswick, New Jersey http://www.njhoops.com/ | June 22 to July 31 (Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays) | Jay Gomes | 908 812 3145 [email protected] |
| Summer Jam 2008 at Chatsworth High School in Chatsworth, California | June 28 and 29; July 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20 and 26 and August 2, 3, 16 and 17 | David Wilson | 818 223 9829 [email protected] |
| Summer League Summer Hoops Where Legends are Made at West Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, North Carolina | June 19 to August 1 (Monday thru Friday) | Arleen Watts | 704 968 3017 [email protected] |
| Taylorsville Pro-Am at Taylorsville Recreation Center in Taylorsville, Utah http://www.activityreg.com/ | June 26 to August 7 (Tuesdays and Thursdays) | Taufik Hermansyah | 801 965 1732 [email protected] |
| Tennessee Capital City Pro-am at Whites Creek High School in nashville, Tennessee | June 15 to August 13 (Tuesday thru Sunday) | David Brooks | 615 586 6039 [email protected] |
| Theodore D. Young Community Center Summer Basketball League at Theodore D. Young Community Center in Greenburgh, New York | July 11 to August 19 (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays) | Boston Keith | 914 989 3649 [email protected] |
| Top Players Summer League at Joy of the Game Center in Deerfield, Illinois http://www.joyofthegame.com/ | July 3 to August 14 (Tuesdays and Thursdays) | David Adelman | 847 498 6646 [email protected] |
| Tri-City Summer League at George Wythe High School in Richmond, Virginia | June 24-26; and July 1-3, 8-10, 15-17, 22-24 and 28-31 | Theodore Berry | 804 276 5443 [email protected] |
| Tucson Summer Pro League at North West Community Center in Tucson, Arizona http://www.tucsonspl.com/ | June 15 to July 27 (Friday thru Sunday) | Corey Williams | 520 304 3373 [email protected] |
| Walker/Ford Community Center Players League at Walker/Ford Community Center in Tallahassee, Florida | June 25 to July 31 (Monday through Thursday) | Joe Thomas | 850 891 3970 [email protected] |
| Wallace Prather, Jr. Pro Summer League at Adamsville Recreation Center in Atlanta, Georgia | July 8 to August 16 (Tuesdays and Saturdays) | Jennifer Prather | 404 241 7414 [email protected] |
| West Reading Summer Basketball League at West Reading Playground in West Reading, Pennsylvania | June 25 to August 7 (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays) | Salvatore Raccuglia | 610 670 1252 [email protected] |
| Wilmington's 19th annual Battle of the weekend warriors Classic at John T. Hoggard High School in Wilmington, North Carolina http://www.battleoftheweekendwarriors.com/ | August 2-3 | Lonnie Payton | 910 791 6362 [email protected] |
| YMCA/Capitol City Men's Basketball League at Valley Southwoods Freshman High School in West Des Moines, Iowa | June 13, 15, 18, 22, 25 and 27; July 2, 6, 9, 11 and 13 | Troy Skinner | 515 327 1222 [email protected] |
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my fam helps run the sonny hill league
tons of nba players and refs have come thur the league
tons of nba players and refs have come thur the league
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Timmy C. (Lancaster, PA): How good is Davidson next year? Could they win one from Duke or UNC early?
mike in morristown n.j.: the Drake Bulldogs had a dream year.....what will they do in the MVC this upcoming season? Can they come nearduplicating last year? Can they get an NCAA tourney bid??
JW: Flora, IL: How is the upcoming recruiting class looking for Southern Illinois and how does it rank with the major programs.
Brian (Philly): Kyle how good are my St. Joe's Hawks going to be next year? Will they make a run at the A-10 like last year or slip backwith the losses of Calathes and Ferguson?
Ian (Cincinnati): Tell me what you know about the new crop of recruits coming into Winthrop and how quickly they might be able to contribute.
Tony (Rochester, MI): Love the chats! keep up the good work. Oakland Univserity seems to have quite the recruiting class (by OU standards), dothey have a bigger and brighter future on the horizon?
Steve (Newark, DE): Kyle - VCU really bummed me out when they fizzled last year. What's your prognosis for them in '08-'09?
ray GORDON REID JACKSONVILe fl 322O7: QUESTION TO KYLE WELLISTON AT 4.05 pm HI Kyle WHO ;S YOUR TOP TEN 2008/09
Wade (Findlay, Illinois): How do you see the Missouri Valley Confernce playing out this coming season? I'm hoping things get back tonormal (no offense to any teams) and we see SIU and Creighton battling for the title again.
Steve (Chicago): As a Bobcat alum, I was excited to see the hiring of Groce. I think OU caught a break with O'Shea leaving. OU has a lotin common with traditional Mid-major powers (recruiting base, arena, etc.) like SIU, Creighton, Kent, etc. and I am continually annoyed that they haven'tconsistently been at that level. Your thoughts on the Groce hire and what he can bring to OU? Thanks.
Jacob Sartin, Marion IL: With the Salukis having the most highly touted freshman class in the history in the MVC, let alone the country, I canalready feel the electricity with fellow dawg fans! Do you think SIU's scheduling helps or hurts their chances of dancing in March this year and the futurewith Lowery at the healm?
Anthony from Boston: The Siena Saints have put together a killer nonconference schedule for the upcoming year. What are your thoughts aboutthe Saints cracking the top 25?
rad (NJ): NEC love!! How good is FDU going to be this year?? Any chance on them or anyone from this league turning the corner and knocking ofsomeone in the NCAAs?
Joe(Reno, Nevada): Kyle, You thoughts on the Nevada Wolf Pack this next season? Very very inexperienced in the front court, but someintriguing talent coming in with top 100s Luke Babbit, Mark McLaughilin and Indiana transfer Joey Shaw. Thank you. P.S. Dont forget the tire chains when youcome out this winter.
..
Siena can beat Kansas early in the season. Seriously.
I was unaware Davidson landed that Ben Eze kid ( the Harvard - Amaker debacle)
Maynor better KILL this year in the Colonial...
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Mentally clicking through the basketball rolodex built into his head, Rick Pitino summoned the perfect game analogy to define Travis Ford.
The year was 1993; the setting, New Orleans; the game, a national semifinal against Michigan.
Knocked out in practice two days earlier after colliding with Tony Delk and ceding eight inches to the Wolverines' Jimmy King, Ford went without abucket in the first half.
[h3]Maybe right now he doesn't have the rÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]sumÃ[emoji]169[/emoji] of some other coaches in the Big East, ACC or Big 12, but in three years you don't think he's going to be one of the top young coaches in the country? It's like judging an athlete. You're not looking for right away but down the road.
[/h3]
--Rick Pitino on Travis Ford
Yet when both the game and Ford were on the line, Pitino didn't even watch.
"Travis needed to hit the free throws to send the game into overtime," Pitino remembered. "I looked at my assistant and said, 'Get readyfor overtime. He's not missing.' Pressure doesn't mean anything to Travis. It doesn't affect him."
A whirling dervish with a three-Red-Bulls-a-day habit, Ford will need all of that game-on-the-line calm now. He has landed in the soup, moving intoStillwater, Okla., where the university's attitude belies its serene-sounding location.
Oklahoma State, Ford's new employer, has been more "churning cyclone" than "still water."
In April, the university gave the hook to Sean Sutton despite a $2.2 million buyout, a 39-29 record in two seasons and a last name that once was revered innorth-central Oklahoma.
Before the press conference to announce Sutton's dismissal had ended, the school, with billionaire alum T. Boone Pickens' bottomless wallet servingas the come-on, started winking and smiling at Bill Self.
OSU's crush went unrequited when Self re-upped at Kansas.
Two weeks later, the Cowboys hired Ford.
The general consensus? The university swung for the fences with a guy who just won a national championship before settling on a guy who just finished asrunner-up in the NIT.
"Hey, if I was an A.D., I'd go after Bill Self, too," Ford said.
Not too long ago, Bill Self wasn't Bill Self. Heck, until Jason Richards missed a 3-pointer to deny Davidson's upset in the Elite Eight, Self wasthe guy who couldn't get to the Final Four.
In 1996, Florida A.D. Jeremy Foley took a chance on a young guy from Marshall who had never coached a game in the NCAA tournament.
Four years later Florida played for a national title, and in 2006, Billy Donovan won his first of back-to-back national championships.
The point being, if Oklahoma State can return the stillness to its waters, it might just find satisfaction with the young Ford.
"They have no idea what they're getting," Pitino said. "He's not a household name, so they don't understand what they'regetting. Maybe right now he doesn't have the rÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]sumÃ[emoji]169[/emoji] of some other coaches in the Big East, ACC or Big 12, but in three years you don't think he'sgoing to be one of the top young coaches in the country? It's like judging an athlete. You're not looking for right away but down the road."
The road Ford has been traveling is basketball's autobahn: He's been speed-racing up the game's hierarchical ladder, bypassing the traditionalsteps. A decade ago, the man now in charge of a team in one of the most well-greased athletic departments in the country (Pickens has donated $165 million tothe Cowboys) was more likely to be handling Pickens' money than his basketball passion.
Adored for his pint-sized chutzpah and assassin's aim on 3-pointers, Ford was a Kentucky darling who parlayed his hoops fame into his pick of lucrativejob offers. Figuring the juice on Wall Street would mimic the adrenaline rush of a game, he took the Series 7 exam to become a stockbroker.
[+] Enlarge
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
Travis Ford's gritty play made quite an impression on then-coach Rick Pitino.
His father, Eddie, a basketball lifer who once coached Murray State, was thrilled. He raised Travis in the game, putting him on planes for cross-countrytournaments and feeding their mutual passion. They gleefully wore basketball blinders, bonding over roundball and forgetting some of the other traditionalfather-son teachings. To this day Eddie swears Travis can't change a tire or car battery.
But as proud as he was to raise a Wildcat, Eddie knew well the stress and pressure that basketball could generate. And as much as Travis never seemedtroubled by such stuff -- "I actually kind of thrive off stress," he said -- his father thought it wouldn't be a bad thing for his son to choosea different route.
"Once he got to work at a firm, he realized he was sitting behind a desk," Eddie Ford laughed. "I knew he could never sit behind adesk."
Ford's beloved stature, coupled with Pitino's endorsement -- which in Kentucky basketball is akin to the laying of hands -- was enough for tinyCampbellsville University to hire Ford without a lick of coaching experience. Ford was 26 years old and Campbellsville was just a combined 31-26 its previoustwo years.
By the time he left three years later, the Tigers were 23-11 and in the NAIA tournament.
"I liked the experience he had in his first job; he started at rock bottom," said Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder. "That reallyimpressed me."
From Campbellsville, Ford's career is a perfectly choreographed climb up the coaching ladder. He parlayed his NAIA success into a mid-major reclamationproject at Eastern Kentucky. After taking EKU to the peak -- its first NCAA tournament game in 25 years -- he jetted to UMass, where the glory days under JohnCalipari were a distant memory.
Ford fixed the Minutemen, just like he resurrected Campbellsville and Eastern Kentucky. UMass won the Atlantic 10 regular-season title in 2007 and followedthat up with an NIT title-game appearance in 2008.
No matter how perfectly the stepping stones seem to have aligned, Ford insists there was no calculated grand plan. If there was, he wouldn't have turneddown Providence, like he did in April. Providence was the logical next step, from Atlantic 10 to Big East, but it also was too close to Amherst, tooawkward.
"I'm not a long-range goal guy," he said. "I'm a guy who believes if you start looking ahead and not taking care of today, you'rein trouble. Even with my team, I don't do that. People set goals of making the NCAA tournament, the Final Four. Well, sure, we all want to do that, but Iset goals for games. A lot of people think I'm crazy, but that to me is what you can manage."
Managing Oklahoma State will be a tougher animal: better conference, bigger school, higher stakes. The Cowboys might like to say they have reasonableexpectations, but when Sutton was dismissed, Holder said at the time, "He knew what the expectations were when he took the job. He thought he would besuccessful, as did I."
Sutton went 17-16 in his final season -- not great, but not exactly an abject failure.
So where does that leave Ford? He has a fan base still feeling rebuked by Self, a wealthy alum looking for a return on his investment and his own $9.1million premium on winning (Ford's salary over seven years).
"Pressure is a fact of life," Holder said. "Not only in coaching, but in any profession in this country. Our country is competitive bynature."
Ford said he met Pickens and swears the millionaire is just a richer version of your typical fan. "You hear about him running the place," Fordsaid. "That's not true. He just loves this place."
Ford also talked to Sutton. The ex-coach called his replacement on the day of Ford's press conference. Ford didn't ask what happened or why (sayingit wasn't his place to get in the middle of it), but that Sutton merely called to offer help.
It all sounds cordial and polite, but this isn't Campbellsville, Eastern Kentucky or UMass. People don't want building blocks. They want results,and they want a man with the stomach to shoulder their expectations.
Back inside Pitino's mental library, the Louisville coach conjures up another perfect analogy to prove that Ford is that man.
The year was 2006; the setting, Louisville; the game, an ordinary regular-season matchup pitting pupil against mentor.
"He came into Freedom Hall and you know, Travis always gives me more credit than I probably deserve," Pitino said. "It was all, 'No sir,yes sir, thank you Coach.' Then he stepped between the lines and forget all that.
"He kicked my $%%. He just kicked my $%%."
The year was 1993; the setting, New Orleans; the game, a national semifinal against Michigan.
Knocked out in practice two days earlier after colliding with Tony Delk and ceding eight inches to the Wolverines' Jimmy King, Ford went without abucket in the first half.
--Rick Pitino on Travis Ford
Yet when both the game and Ford were on the line, Pitino didn't even watch.
"Travis needed to hit the free throws to send the game into overtime," Pitino remembered. "I looked at my assistant and said, 'Get readyfor overtime. He's not missing.' Pressure doesn't mean anything to Travis. It doesn't affect him."
A whirling dervish with a three-Red-Bulls-a-day habit, Ford will need all of that game-on-the-line calm now. He has landed in the soup, moving intoStillwater, Okla., where the university's attitude belies its serene-sounding location.
Oklahoma State, Ford's new employer, has been more "churning cyclone" than "still water."
In April, the university gave the hook to Sean Sutton despite a $2.2 million buyout, a 39-29 record in two seasons and a last name that once was revered innorth-central Oklahoma.
Before the press conference to announce Sutton's dismissal had ended, the school, with billionaire alum T. Boone Pickens' bottomless wallet servingas the come-on, started winking and smiling at Bill Self.
OSU's crush went unrequited when Self re-upped at Kansas.
Two weeks later, the Cowboys hired Ford.
The general consensus? The university swung for the fences with a guy who just won a national championship before settling on a guy who just finished asrunner-up in the NIT.
"Hey, if I was an A.D., I'd go after Bill Self, too," Ford said.
Not too long ago, Bill Self wasn't Bill Self. Heck, until Jason Richards missed a 3-pointer to deny Davidson's upset in the Elite Eight, Self wasthe guy who couldn't get to the Final Four.
In 1996, Florida A.D. Jeremy Foley took a chance on a young guy from Marshall who had never coached a game in the NCAA tournament.
Four years later Florida played for a national title, and in 2006, Billy Donovan won his first of back-to-back national championships.
The point being, if Oklahoma State can return the stillness to its waters, it might just find satisfaction with the young Ford.
"They have no idea what they're getting," Pitino said. "He's not a household name, so they don't understand what they'regetting. Maybe right now he doesn't have the rÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]sumÃ[emoji]169[/emoji] of some other coaches in the Big East, ACC or Big 12, but in three years you don't think he'sgoing to be one of the top young coaches in the country? It's like judging an athlete. You're not looking for right away but down the road."
The road Ford has been traveling is basketball's autobahn: He's been speed-racing up the game's hierarchical ladder, bypassing the traditionalsteps. A decade ago, the man now in charge of a team in one of the most well-greased athletic departments in the country (Pickens has donated $165 million tothe Cowboys) was more likely to be handling Pickens' money than his basketball passion.
Adored for his pint-sized chutzpah and assassin's aim on 3-pointers, Ford was a Kentucky darling who parlayed his hoops fame into his pick of lucrativejob offers. Figuring the juice on Wall Street would mimic the adrenaline rush of a game, he took the Series 7 exam to become a stockbroker.
[+] Enlarge
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
Travis Ford's gritty play made quite an impression on then-coach Rick Pitino.
His father, Eddie, a basketball lifer who once coached Murray State, was thrilled. He raised Travis in the game, putting him on planes for cross-countrytournaments and feeding their mutual passion. They gleefully wore basketball blinders, bonding over roundball and forgetting some of the other traditionalfather-son teachings. To this day Eddie swears Travis can't change a tire or car battery.
But as proud as he was to raise a Wildcat, Eddie knew well the stress and pressure that basketball could generate. And as much as Travis never seemedtroubled by such stuff -- "I actually kind of thrive off stress," he said -- his father thought it wouldn't be a bad thing for his son to choosea different route.
"Once he got to work at a firm, he realized he was sitting behind a desk," Eddie Ford laughed. "I knew he could never sit behind adesk."
Ford's beloved stature, coupled with Pitino's endorsement -- which in Kentucky basketball is akin to the laying of hands -- was enough for tinyCampbellsville University to hire Ford without a lick of coaching experience. Ford was 26 years old and Campbellsville was just a combined 31-26 its previoustwo years.
By the time he left three years later, the Tigers were 23-11 and in the NAIA tournament.
"I liked the experience he had in his first job; he started at rock bottom," said Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder. "That reallyimpressed me."
From Campbellsville, Ford's career is a perfectly choreographed climb up the coaching ladder. He parlayed his NAIA success into a mid-major reclamationproject at Eastern Kentucky. After taking EKU to the peak -- its first NCAA tournament game in 25 years -- he jetted to UMass, where the glory days under JohnCalipari were a distant memory.
Ford fixed the Minutemen, just like he resurrected Campbellsville and Eastern Kentucky. UMass won the Atlantic 10 regular-season title in 2007 and followedthat up with an NIT title-game appearance in 2008.
No matter how perfectly the stepping stones seem to have aligned, Ford insists there was no calculated grand plan. If there was, he wouldn't have turneddown Providence, like he did in April. Providence was the logical next step, from Atlantic 10 to Big East, but it also was too close to Amherst, tooawkward.
"I'm not a long-range goal guy," he said. "I'm a guy who believes if you start looking ahead and not taking care of today, you'rein trouble. Even with my team, I don't do that. People set goals of making the NCAA tournament, the Final Four. Well, sure, we all want to do that, but Iset goals for games. A lot of people think I'm crazy, but that to me is what you can manage."
Managing Oklahoma State will be a tougher animal: better conference, bigger school, higher stakes. The Cowboys might like to say they have reasonableexpectations, but when Sutton was dismissed, Holder said at the time, "He knew what the expectations were when he took the job. He thought he would besuccessful, as did I."
Sutton went 17-16 in his final season -- not great, but not exactly an abject failure.
So where does that leave Ford? He has a fan base still feeling rebuked by Self, a wealthy alum looking for a return on his investment and his own $9.1million premium on winning (Ford's salary over seven years).
"Pressure is a fact of life," Holder said. "Not only in coaching, but in any profession in this country. Our country is competitive bynature."
Ford said he met Pickens and swears the millionaire is just a richer version of your typical fan. "You hear about him running the place," Fordsaid. "That's not true. He just loves this place."
Ford also talked to Sutton. The ex-coach called his replacement on the day of Ford's press conference. Ford didn't ask what happened or why (sayingit wasn't his place to get in the middle of it), but that Sutton merely called to offer help.
It all sounds cordial and polite, but this isn't Campbellsville, Eastern Kentucky or UMass. People don't want building blocks. They want results,and they want a man with the stomach to shoulder their expectations.
Back inside Pitino's mental library, the Louisville coach conjures up another perfect analogy to prove that Ford is that man.
The year was 2006; the setting, Louisville; the game, an ordinary regular-season matchup pitting pupil against mentor.
"He came into Freedom Hall and you know, Travis always gives me more credit than I probably deserve," Pitino said. "It was all, 'No sir,yes sir, thank you Coach.' Then he stepped between the lines and forget all that.
"He kicked my $%%. He just kicked my $%%."
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Isiah Armwood to Villanova.
Really nice pick up.
Really nice pick up.
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Yeahhhhhhhhhhh buddy! This means Gaddy will probably recommit to Arizona as well since they are good friends and may even bring Avery Bradley...
MikeMoser commits to Arizona
[h1]Mike Moser commits to Arizona[/h1]
Josh Gershon
GOAZCATS.com Senior Editor
Talk about it in Premium Hoops Suite: Inside McKale
Arizona received its second 2009 commitment on Tuesday and it was another big one, as 6-foot-8, 200-pound Portland Grant forward Mike Moser gave the UA coaches a verbal pledge.
Moser had offers and interest from several of the top schools in the country, but after leaning towards the UA forquite some time, he finally pulled the trigger.
"I called up coach (Lute) Olson and let him know that Arizona is exactly where I wanted to be," Moser said. "He was definitelyecstatic. I was their number one choice and they're my number one choice so there was no reason to go anywhere else but that."
After calling Olson, Moser got in touch with his lead recruiter, Russ Pennell, to tell him the news.
"I talked to coach Pennell right after I talked to coach Olson and he was just as pumped," Moser said. "They just let me know what it'sgoing to be like for the next four years and that I made the right decision."
Moser said that the reason for choosing Arizona had a lot to do with his confidence in the UA coaching staff.
"It's a great coaching situation with coach Olson being known for putting so many guards and wings in the league," Moser said. "That's abig thing for me being a wing myself. I just think the situation at Arizona is the best fit for me, period."
In recent weeks, Moser had been close to committing and finally he decided it was time to go ahead and do it.
"If they're my number one and I know what I want, what's the point in waiting?" he asked.
Moser doesn't plan on coming to Arizona alone, as he plans on trying to bring along his close friends Abdul Gaddy and Avery Bradley.
"They're my brothers and I'm definitely going to work on them," Moser said. "I'll tell them whatever it takes to get them, whateverit takes. "
Like most recruits who commit to Arizona, Moser has lofty goals that he wants to accomplish.
"My goals at Arizona are to come in and I definitely want to win a championship," he said.
GOAZCATS.com will have much more on Mike Moser's commitment shortly.
MikeMoser commits to Arizona
[h1]Mike Moser commits to Arizona[/h1]
Josh Gershon
GOAZCATS.com Senior Editor
Talk about it in Premium Hoops Suite: Inside McKale
Arizona received its second 2009 commitment on Tuesday and it was another big one, as 6-foot-8, 200-pound Portland Grant forward Mike Moser gave the UA coaches a verbal pledge.
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| Mike Moser is headed to Arizona. |
"I called up coach (Lute) Olson and let him know that Arizona is exactly where I wanted to be," Moser said. "He was definitelyecstatic. I was their number one choice and they're my number one choice so there was no reason to go anywhere else but that."
After calling Olson, Moser got in touch with his lead recruiter, Russ Pennell, to tell him the news.
"I talked to coach Pennell right after I talked to coach Olson and he was just as pumped," Moser said. "They just let me know what it'sgoing to be like for the next four years and that I made the right decision."
Moser said that the reason for choosing Arizona had a lot to do with his confidence in the UA coaching staff.
"It's a great coaching situation with coach Olson being known for putting so many guards and wings in the league," Moser said. "That's abig thing for me being a wing myself. I just think the situation at Arizona is the best fit for me, period."
In recent weeks, Moser had been close to committing and finally he decided it was time to go ahead and do it.
"If they're my number one and I know what I want, what's the point in waiting?" he asked.
Moser doesn't plan on coming to Arizona alone, as he plans on trying to bring along his close friends Abdul Gaddy and Avery Bradley.
"They're my brothers and I'm definitely going to work on them," Moser said. "I'll tell them whatever it takes to get them, whateverit takes. "
Like most recruits who commit to Arizona, Moser has lofty goals that he wants to accomplish.
"My goals at Arizona are to come in and I definitely want to win a championship," he said.
GOAZCATS.com will have much more on Mike Moser's commitment shortly.
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LOS ANGELES -- UCLA coach Ben Howland, who has guided the Bruins to the Final Four each of the past three years, agreed to a new seven-year contract withthe university Tuesday.
The deal, which adds one year onto the agreement he signed last October, runs through the 2014-15 season and includes a guaranteed $1.97 million for nextseason, rising to $2.3 million in the final year of the contract. The incentive package from his previous agreement, a maximum of $235,000, is retained in thenew contract.
His previous contract guaranteed compensation of $1.5 million for the 2007-08 season and a boost to $2 million in the final year. He earned $1.2 million forthe 2006-07 season.
"I have said this before, but there is no place I would rather be coaching than UCLA," Howland said. "I grew up a Bruin basketball fan andthis is my dream job.
"UCLA is a special name in college basketball thanks to coach [John] Wooden and I am proud to be the caretaker of his program," Howland said.
Although the Bruins have been to the Final Four the last three years, one of only four schools ever to accomplish that, they have yet to win an NCAA titleunder Howland. This year, they lost to Memphis in the national semifinals.
The 51-year-old Howland took the Bruins to a school record for wins on their way to a 35-4 record last season, and they won their third straight Pac-10title.
That made Howland the first coach since Wooden to produce three conference champions in a row. UCLA has also won two of the past three Pac-10 postseasontournaments.
Howland, who turned around programs at Northern Arizona and Pittsburgh, went 11-17 in 2003-04, his first season at UCLA. The Bruins improved to 18-11 thefollowing season and then were 32-7 in 2005-06.
"Ben Howland and UCLA are a great combination," UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero said. "Ben is at the top of his profession and isdeserving of this commitment by the university.
"He has returned UCLA to the nation's elite, as illustrated by three straight Final Fours and three consecutive 30-win seasons. ... The foundationBen has built for our program promises to keep us at the forefront for the foreseeable future," Guerrero said.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
The deal, which adds one year onto the agreement he signed last October, runs through the 2014-15 season and includes a guaranteed $1.97 million for nextseason, rising to $2.3 million in the final year of the contract. The incentive package from his previous agreement, a maximum of $235,000, is retained in thenew contract.
His previous contract guaranteed compensation of $1.5 million for the 2007-08 season and a boost to $2 million in the final year. He earned $1.2 million forthe 2006-07 season.
"I have said this before, but there is no place I would rather be coaching than UCLA," Howland said. "I grew up a Bruin basketball fan andthis is my dream job.
"UCLA is a special name in college basketball thanks to coach [John] Wooden and I am proud to be the caretaker of his program," Howland said.
Although the Bruins have been to the Final Four the last three years, one of only four schools ever to accomplish that, they have yet to win an NCAA titleunder Howland. This year, they lost to Memphis in the national semifinals.
The 51-year-old Howland took the Bruins to a school record for wins on their way to a 35-4 record last season, and they won their third straight Pac-10title.
That made Howland the first coach since Wooden to produce three conference champions in a row. UCLA has also won two of the past three Pac-10 postseasontournaments.
Howland, who turned around programs at Northern Arizona and Pittsburgh, went 11-17 in 2003-04, his first season at UCLA. The Bruins improved to 18-11 thefollowing season and then were 32-7 in 2005-06.
"Ben Howland and UCLA are a great combination," UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero said. "Ben is at the top of his profession and isdeserving of this commitment by the university.
"He has returned UCLA to the nation's elite, as illustrated by three straight Final Fours and three consecutive 30-win seasons. ... The foundationBen has built for our program promises to keep us at the forefront for the foreseeable future," Guerrero said.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
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I want him in the NBA..
new top 150
Hollis Thompson and Leslie McDonald should be in the 20's, not the 50's
new top 150
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FEATURED PRODUCT |
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I like Ryan Kelly's game and he's played well this summer, but 17 is a reach.
- 7,308
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I wonder how the hell Naji Hibbert goes from being ranked in the top 40-50 last fall to falling all the way to 142 this summer...is that even possible?
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I refuse to believe there are 40 players in the country better than Nolan Dennis...
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July 2, 2008
[h1]USA U18 trials: session one[/h1]
Jerry Meyer
Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Analyst
Talk about it in Basketball Recruiting Board
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The USA Basketball U18 National Team Trials got under way Tuesday evening at the Washington Wizards practice facilityin the Verizon Center. A mix of incoming college freshmen and 2009 prospects took the court, and Dominic Cheek made a statement as the top wing player during the firstsession.
With the players divided into three teams of six, Cheek scored 17 points during approximately 20 minutes of running time. He knockeddown three 3-pointers, was productive on the offensive boards and passed the ball extremely well. Presently ranked No. 11 in the Rivals150, Cheek is puttingsome heavy pressure on the prospects just ahead of him in the top 10.
While Cheek was the top performer from the wing, Ryan Kelly stood out amongst the post players. He didn't take manyshots, but the few shots he did take found the bottom of the net. Along with his confident and precise shooting, Kelly delivered a number of assists from thehigh post as a perfect complement to grinding low post player JaMychal Green. Green scored seven points and had the most physicalpresence on the blocks.
Yet to make a college decision, Kelly's school list still stands at nine schools - Georgetown, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Stanford,Vanderbilt, Virginia, Wake Forest and Davidson. Kelly, the No. 17 ranked prospect in the Rivals150 has unofficial visited all nine schools and noted afterpractice that he felt all nine could be a good fit for him. The plan at this point is to trim the list to five schools at the end of July in preparation forofficial visits in the fall.
In other recruiting news from the trials, Ari Stewart is closely considering Oregon, Wake Forest, Xavier, Miami,Virginia and South Florida. His top desire is to play for a program with an up-tempo style of play. With head coach Bob McKillop of Davidson emphasizing a faststyle of play during the practice, the athletic Stewart had his moments running the court and hitting the offensive glass. All six of his points during thescrimmage came at the rim.
Here is a quick rundown on the other players trying out for the USA U18 National Team:
Kemba Walker (Connecticut)- Establishedhimself as the top point guard on the court with his aggressive and physical play. He got into the lane with regularity, displayed top-notch leadershipqualities and knocked down a couple 3-pointers for his six points in the scrimmage.
Maalik Wayns (Villanova commitment)-Wayns matched up well with Walker, and in a sense is the Walker of the 2009 class. He has terrific strength with the basketball and has a burst of speed. Hepassed the ball well but didn't score during the scrimmage.
Malcolm Lee (UCLA)- Lee scored fourpoints before suffering an injury during the late stages of the scrimmage. With only two true point guards trying out for the team, Lee ran the point for thethird team. More suited for the shooting guard position, Lee didn't assert himself much by penetrating from the point guard position, but did finish withfour points.
Lance Stephenson- Simply put, Stephensonhad a tough day at the office. He couldn't get his shot to fall, managing only two points, didn't assert himself on the boards and turned the ball overat an alarming rate. Perhaps just trying to do too much, Stephenson played at a frenetic speed that just wasn't meshing with his teammates. He clearly wasfrustrated.
Travis Releford (Kansas)- Aggressivelylooking to penetrate and get his shot, Releford scored 10 points in the scrimmage. He was one of the top guards during the session, and he did a nice jobbalancing his aggressiveness within the structure of team play. Expect Releford to be a productive and stabilizing force for Kansas next year with his maturegame.
Hollis Thompson (Georgetown commitment)-Thompson struggled at times with the physical play. He finished with two points in the scrimmage.
Matthew Humphrey (Oregon)- Humphreystood out as an outside scoring threat, knocking down two 3-pointers and finishing with eight points.
Leslie McDonald (North Carolinacommitment)- McDonald looked good in transition by both unselfishly passing the ball up the court and running the floor on the wing, getting his six points atthe basket in transition.
Wesley Witherspoon (Memphis)-Witherspoon struggled shooting the ball from the field, but did manage four points from the free-throw line.
Reeves Nelson (UCLA commitment)- Afterseeing Nelson for the first time this spring/summer, it appears that he might just be getting too strong. He was very good on the defensive glass, butstruggled to muster up anything offensively. He did get one baseline dunk for his two points.
Mason Plumlee (Duke commitment)- Plumleewas quite active around the basket. He gave opposing players difficulty with his size (he was the tallest player on the court). Plumlee rebounded the ballwell, showed savvy passing the ball and scored six points.
Kenny Hall (Tennessee commitment)- Hallcompeted with energy on the boards and did a nice job finishing at the rim for eight points.
David Wear (North Carolina commitment)-Wear played with energy but only managed one bucket ,which came from behind the arc.
Travis Wear (North Carolina commitment)-Wear had moments where he stood out running the court. He had a scoring flurry of eight points late in the scrimmage.
[h1]USA U18 trials: session one[/h1]
Jerry Meyer
Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Analyst
Talk about it in Basketball Recruiting Board
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The USA Basketball U18 National Team Trials got under way Tuesday evening at the Washington Wizards practice facilityin the Verizon Center. A mix of incoming college freshmen and 2009 prospects took the court, and Dominic Cheek made a statement as the top wing player during the firstsession.
|
|
|
| |
| Cheek is an impressive wing prospect. |
While Cheek was the top performer from the wing, Ryan Kelly stood out amongst the post players. He didn't take manyshots, but the few shots he did take found the bottom of the net. Along with his confident and precise shooting, Kelly delivered a number of assists from thehigh post as a perfect complement to grinding low post player JaMychal Green. Green scored seven points and had the most physicalpresence on the blocks.
Yet to make a college decision, Kelly's school list still stands at nine schools - Georgetown, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Stanford,Vanderbilt, Virginia, Wake Forest and Davidson. Kelly, the No. 17 ranked prospect in the Rivals150 has unofficial visited all nine schools and noted afterpractice that he felt all nine could be a good fit for him. The plan at this point is to trim the list to five schools at the end of July in preparation forofficial visits in the fall.
In other recruiting news from the trials, Ari Stewart is closely considering Oregon, Wake Forest, Xavier, Miami,Virginia and South Florida. His top desire is to play for a program with an up-tempo style of play. With head coach Bob McKillop of Davidson emphasizing a faststyle of play during the practice, the athletic Stewart had his moments running the court and hitting the offensive glass. All six of his points during thescrimmage came at the rim.
Here is a quick rundown on the other players trying out for the USA U18 National Team:
Kemba Walker (Connecticut)- Establishedhimself as the top point guard on the court with his aggressive and physical play. He got into the lane with regularity, displayed top-notch leadershipqualities and knocked down a couple 3-pointers for his six points in the scrimmage.
Maalik Wayns (Villanova commitment)-Wayns matched up well with Walker, and in a sense is the Walker of the 2009 class. He has terrific strength with the basketball and has a burst of speed. Hepassed the ball well but didn't score during the scrimmage.
Malcolm Lee (UCLA)- Lee scored fourpoints before suffering an injury during the late stages of the scrimmage. With only two true point guards trying out for the team, Lee ran the point for thethird team. More suited for the shooting guard position, Lee didn't assert himself much by penetrating from the point guard position, but did finish withfour points.
Lance Stephenson- Simply put, Stephensonhad a tough day at the office. He couldn't get his shot to fall, managing only two points, didn't assert himself on the boards and turned the ball overat an alarming rate. Perhaps just trying to do too much, Stephenson played at a frenetic speed that just wasn't meshing with his teammates. He clearly wasfrustrated.
Travis Releford (Kansas)- Aggressivelylooking to penetrate and get his shot, Releford scored 10 points in the scrimmage. He was one of the top guards during the session, and he did a nice jobbalancing his aggressiveness within the structure of team play. Expect Releford to be a productive and stabilizing force for Kansas next year with his maturegame.
Hollis Thompson (Georgetown commitment)-Thompson struggled at times with the physical play. He finished with two points in the scrimmage.
Matthew Humphrey (Oregon)- Humphreystood out as an outside scoring threat, knocking down two 3-pointers and finishing with eight points.
Leslie McDonald (North Carolinacommitment)- McDonald looked good in transition by both unselfishly passing the ball up the court and running the floor on the wing, getting his six points atthe basket in transition.
Wesley Witherspoon (Memphis)-Witherspoon struggled shooting the ball from the field, but did manage four points from the free-throw line.
Reeves Nelson (UCLA commitment)- Afterseeing Nelson for the first time this spring/summer, it appears that he might just be getting too strong. He was very good on the defensive glass, butstruggled to muster up anything offensively. He did get one baseline dunk for his two points.
Mason Plumlee (Duke commitment)- Plumleewas quite active around the basket. He gave opposing players difficulty with his size (he was the tallest player on the court). Plumlee rebounded the ballwell, showed savvy passing the ball and scored six points.
Kenny Hall (Tennessee commitment)- Hallcompeted with energy on the boards and did a nice job finishing at the rim for eight points.
David Wear (North Carolina commitment)-Wear played with energy but only managed one bucket ,which came from behind the arc.
Travis Wear (North Carolina commitment)-Wear had moments where he stood out running the court. He had a scoring flurry of eight points late in the scrimmage.
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Ahh so thats what's going on...I was wondering why there was a bunch of young tall dudes around when i went to lunch
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The only question is whether he is a 3 or a 4 but knowing Wright unless ur 6"4 or below then your a center on the team...
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Originally Posted by MessiahChild
The only question is whether he is a 3 or a 4 but knowing Wright unless ur 6"4 or below then your a center on the team...
Yeah I think he's a college 4, esp under Wright.
Dom Cheek automatically is a better player than any rating he's given just based off playing at St. A's and for Hurley.
...
I really enjoyed this article..
The moment is freeze-framed in YouTube glory. As the last notes of "One Shining Moment" fade, Juan Dixon hurls his 6-foot-3 frame at Byron Mouton, tackling his teammate in a powerfulembrace.
It is at once Maryland's shining moment and fading glory, the year everything came together for the Terrapins and everything stopped progressing.Maryland won that national championship in 2002 on Dixon's moxie, Mouton's selflessness, Lonny Baxter's bulk and Gary Williams' ability to turn a bunch of less-heraldedrecruits into champions.
[+] Enlarge
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Juan Dixon's One Shining Moment in 2002 is a distant memory for a Terps program that has struggled since then.
From that high, there is no place to go but down. The lure of the NBA, coupled with the fickle whims of teenagers, makes college basketball dynasties harderto come by than $2 gas.
But Maryland's slide down the ladder toward irrelevancy appears to have hit its most critical step. The Terps have made one NCAA tournament appearancein four years and have become the sort of once-in-a-season highlight team (see: upset of North Carolina, 2008; win at Duke, 2007) that feeds at the bottom ofthe ACC.
Williams, once lauded for resurrecting Maryland from the depths of NCAA probation, now enters his 20th season dogged by questions about himself, his programand his status with the university administration.
"Is this a big year? Absolutely," said Kent Greenway, coach of the Richmond Squires AAU team, a power in the D.C.-Baltimore-Virginia hub."People are questioning how good of a coach Gary is, how good of a job the team is doing recruiting and whether the AD wants [Williams] out. This is avery, very important year."
Yet, in a season with conceivably so much on the line, Maryland starts with only 10 scholarship players. Shane Walker transferred, would-be recruit Tyree Evans never got past the administrative smell test and heraldedrookie-to-be Gus Gilchrist elected to transfer to South Florida, wherehe hopes an appeal will restore a year of eligibility.
That leaves the Terps with a frontcourt that averaged 4.4 points and 4.0 rebounds last season in a league that has a stacked North Carolina roster, a hungryDuke team and a blossoming Miami program.
Worse than what Maryland has on its roster -- what some contend is unmined talent that could be better than other people think -- is the lack of juice thestate university has in a region where talent is ripe for the picking.
In the past two years, the Maryland area has produced three top-five NBA draft picks -- Texas' Kevin Durant went second and Georgetown's Jeff Green fifth in 2007, and Kansas State's Michael Beasley went No. 2 just this past Thursday. Mix in Carmelo Anthony in 2003, and you get an idea of just how deep the talent pool is aroundCollege Park.
"There's no reason they're not getting some of these guys," said Curtis Malone, co-founder of the powerful D.C. Assault AAU team."It's a great campus, a great facility, great conference. Gary is a good coach. There's so much talent in the Baltimore-D.C. area, they should begetting more kids to stay home. I can't put my finger on it."
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Gary Williams is understandably defensive. His program has been dragged through the blog cesspool, skewered, poked and dissected. The requisitefiregarywilliams.com already is up and running.And unlike most coaches, Williams admits he's bothered by the criticism.
"Whoever says it doesn't bother them is lying," he said. "It's human nature. You want people to say nice things about you."
But there isn't exactly generosity of spirit where the Terps and Williams are concerned these days. Fans see a revolving door spinning talented peopleout and not-so-talented players in; they see a resurgent Georgetown team rising from the ashes to make the Final Four while the Maryland team tries to simplymake the NCAA tournament.
As Williams points out, the Hoyas have been hit by their own player turnover -- Jeremiah Rivers transferred to Indiana and Vernon Macklin to Florida -- but an exodus of players loses its sting when there's afairly fresh Final Four banner hanging in the rafters.
The messy trails left by Maryland's two most public deserters make its situation even less palatable.
Tyree Evans, a high-scoring guard who scored the third-most points in one season in Virginia prep history, would have been a junior next season. The23-year-old, who spent time at a prep school and two junior colleges, signed a letter of intent with Maryland in April, but athletic director Debbie Yow saidthat, at the time, she didn't know Evans had served jail time (he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana with intent todistribute and spent two weeks in jail in 2007).
G Fiume/Getty Images
Baltimore-native Sean Mosley is Maryland's only incoming recruit.
As a debate raged over whether Evans was worth the publicity risk, he asked to be released from his letter of intent, and Maryland agreed.
"The admission of any student with a criminal record is determined by two entities outside of the department of athletics -- the university admissionsoffice and the office of student conduct," said Yow, who responded to ESPN.com's questions via e-mail.
Williams' decision to take a chance on Evans -- who was charged for a marijuana possession (2005) and indecent assault of a person over 14 (he pleadedguilty to misdemeanor assault and battery in 2006) in his background -- reeked of an act of desperation by a man who needed to get back to the NCAA tournament.The fizzling finish only fueled the flames of rumor that there is a power struggle between Williams and Yow.
Neither Williams nor Yow admits to any animosity toward the other, but in area hoops circles, there is a growing sense the relationship is a slow burn in adry forest.
"This is from what I hear, not what I've seen, but people think they don't like each other," said Greenway, who is admittedly disappointedthat Maryland didn't give Evans a chance. "People think Miss Yow is trying to submarine the program."
"Coach Williams and I have worked together for 14 years," Yow said in an e-mail response. "I appreciate all he has done to elevate theprogram. We meet routinely, as do ADs and their head coaches, and I find our meetings to be positive and productive."
Just as the Evans firestorm died down, the Gus Gilchrist fiasco came to a head. A heralded 6-9 center, Gilchrist transferred from Virginia Tech to Marylandafter the 2007 shootings on the Blacksburg, Va., campus left him craving a college closer to home.
ACC rules, however, require players who transfer within the league to sit out a full calendar year. Gilchrist would have been eligible to play two and ahalf years at Maryland, beginning in December.
Maryland twice appealed to the ACC on Gilchrist's behalf but was denied both times. Gilchrist asked to be released from his scholarship and last monthsigned with South Florida. He still will have to appeal his transfer in order to play immediately, but he will have four years of eligibility whenever heresumes his career.
"Originally, he thought he was going to be one of those guys going to the NBA right away," Williams said. "But then he played against ourguys, and he realized he needed the full amount of time to play, so he decided to transfer."
The kicker in all this is that the Terps were ready to give former Oklahoma guard Bobby Maze a scholarship. Maze, who spent a year in junior college, verballycommitted to the Terps, but Maryland rescinded its offer (reason unknown) in April.
Maze signed with Tennessee and, in a freestyle rap currently burning up the Maryland message boards, opines, "This thing is not a game/Who am I toblame/Maryland never change."
Barring late summer additions, Sean Mosley -- whose academic statuswas tenuous but is now expected to qualify, according to the Baltimore Sun -- will be the lone member of Maryland's freshman class.
***
It's more than just the players who are leaving. That can be explained to an extent. It's also the players who aren't coming at all thatraises eyebrows.Gary Williams argues that it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep kids at home. Between the parents who justifiably want their kids away from eitherthe mean streets or the hangers-on from their hometowns and the kids whose worlds have been opened by AAU tournaments, hometown ties are almostmeaningless.
"Durant wasn't staying home; neither was Beasley," Williams said. "We didn't get them. Neither did 336 other schools."
But forget Beasley and Durant, two gems who literally had their pick of the country.
What about Ty Lawson (North Carolina) and Nolan Smith (Duke)? Chris Wright (Georgetown) and Donte Greene (Syracuse)? Dante Cunningham (Villanova) and Jeff Allen (Virginia Tech)? Or the 25 DC Assault alums who, according to its Web site, playedcollege ball last season? None played for Maryland.
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AP Photo/Gerry Broome
Maryland's upset of unbeaten, No. 1-ranked North Carolina in January was the Terps' highlight of the season.
"You're the state school; you're expected to get the local kid," Kent Greenway said. "I know that's more difficult now, butthat's the expectation."
At its peak, Maryland had a coaching staff almost as seasoned as Joe Paterno's. Billy Hahn served as an assistant for 12 years, Jimmy Patsos for 13.Strong in their own minds and opinions, they knew how to handle Williams, whose hot temper and demanding personality are legendary.
Hahn left for a head coaching job at La Salle in 2001, Patsos for Loyola in 2005. Since then, Maryland's coaching door has spun almost as wildly as itsplayers' entrance. Former WNBA head coach Michael Adams joined the staff in 2004 and two games into the 2007-08 season, abruptly resigned to spend moretime with his family. One-time Charlotte 49ers assistant Rob Moxley came to College Park in 2004, only to return to Charlotte two years later for an associatehead coaching position.
Former Terp Keith Booth is in his fifth season at College Park, Chuck Driesell his third.
"You get new assistants, it takes time to develop relationships with recruits and rebuild that," Williams said. "So I can see where thatprobably hurt us, but I like where we are now."
Unable to resist the zinger -- "We haven't gotten any eighth-graders yet, I'll admit" -- Williams said he feels good about the inroads hisstaff has made with players for 2009-10, and people in and around the state say Williams' staff is working.
The problem, observers say, is that the Maryland assistants are trying to close deals on their own. They point to coaches like John Calipari, who reliedheavily on former assistant Derek Kellogg (now at Massachusetts) but who also ran up his own frequent-flier miles between Memphis and Philadelphia to securethe services of Tyreke Evans.
And they wonder whether Williams, 20 years into it, still has the stomach for the game.
"What Gary has done with that program … let's face it, they were very bad," said Greene's high school coach, Josh Pratt, who quickly addedthat he believes the feisty Williams is one to be reckoned with. "What he's done is phenomenal. People are very appreciative of that, but there areyoung coaches who are like Gary was 10 years ago. They're hungry, and they want to prove themselves."
***
Maryland went 19-15 in 2007-08. The Terps sold out all of their home games and finished tied for fifth in their conference. Senior James Gist, an unheralded player out of high school, just joined the San Antonio Spurs as asecond-round pick.Nothing to be ashamed of there.
But there are statistics, and then there are statistics, and in college basketball, one matters most: NCAA tournament appearances. Maryland has been threetimes since that national title but hasn't managed to get out of the first weekend since 2003.
In the IM world of teenagers, in which responses and gratification are instantaneous, that's a lifetime.
"Kids have short memories," Malone said. "That championship was six years ago. Most kids, they don't even remember it."
The shining moment is becoming a fading memory.
Dana O'Neil covers college basketball fo
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Big East scheduling released..
http://www.bigeast.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=19400&ATCLID=1505292
http://www.bigeast.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=19400&ATCLID=1505292
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Sources tell Rivals.com that New Orleans is about to land Memphis transfer Doneal Mack.
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Maryland basketball
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Kansas and Memphis
That hasn't happened in a long time
That hasn't happened in a long time
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Doc River's son Austin...who just finished his freshman year in HS...gave a verbal to Florida
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July 3, 2008
[h1]USA U18 trials: session three[/h1]
Jerry Meyer
Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Analyst
Talk about it in Basketball Recruiting Board
WASHINGTON, D.C.- It took Lance Stephenson a little while to get untracked at the USA Basketball U18 National Team Trials, but by the third session Stephenson found his stride.
Implementing more of a streamlined physical approach to the game, Stephenson was simply the dominant force on the court Wednesday night. He bullied defenders with slashing drives to the basket and crashed the boards for rebounds. With less dribbles he made more positive things happen for his scrimmage squad, and in the process found the touch on his jumper.
Stephenson is excited about representing the USA.
Stephenson was the first to admit that he had to go through an adjustment period.
"I'm trying to get used to not getting the ball like I'm used to getting it," said Stephenson. "Now when I get the ball I'm trying to finish the play quicker."
He also rejected recent talk that he might take some other route than attending college after next year.
"I'm more focused on school and getting an education. I'm more about learning new stuff and then go to the NBA. Skipping college and going to Europe is something you think about as a last resort when your messing up in school, but I'm doing well in school."
St. John's, Texas, North Carolina and Duke are still in the running to land Stephenson, but three other schools standout at the top of his list.
"Kansas, Memphis and Tennessee, those are the three schools I'm looking at really hard," said Stephenson, who is planning to wait until the spring before committing to a college.
With the trials, practices and then the World Games in Argentina conflicting with the shoe company camps, many prospects declined invitations to play for USA Basketball. Stephenson, however, is hungry for a new experience and excited about playing for his country.
"I'm more about helping the United States," he said. "I'm not about sneakers or the latest Lebron camp jersey. I've already done the Lebron camp and the other camps, so this is a new experience for me."
One of the other uncommitted participants in the USA U18 trials is Dominic Cheek. Like Stephenson, Cheek is far from ready to make a decision about where he will play college basketball.
"I don't really have a school list because new schools keep coming in," said Cheek. "After this, I'll narrow things down to something like ten schools."
Cheek did note, however, that Villanova and Tennessee are recruiting him the hardest. He also revealed the two most important factors for him in choosing a school.
"I want to go to a school that has a chance to win the national championship and play for a coach who can get me to the next level," he said.
Notes from session three
It looks like the players are beginning to adjust to the international basketball which is a tad bit bigger than an American basketball and much slicker.
Mason Plumlee made a statement in session two with his shot blocking ability, and in session three he was all over the offensive glass demonstrating an ability to rebound outside of his area.
Leslie McDonald has had success finishing at the rim in transition throughout the trials, but he struggled defensively on Wednesday, giving up a number of drives to the basket.
Dominic Cheek has a gift for getting the ball in the basket, but like McDonald, his defense has been sub par.
Continuing with the defensive theme, Ryan Kelly is a nightmare to defend with his array of offensive moves, but he will have to bulk up before he gets to college in order to successfully defend in the low post.
On the other hand, point guards Kemba Walker and Maalik Wayns have impressed with their ability to pressure the basketball.
Travis Releford is a college ready guard with his physical strength and basketball IQ. He defends, rebounds, takes care of the basketball and knows when to take the ball to the basket.
